(CEDAR CITY, Utah) - The Southern Utah University women’s basketball team will continue its most successful run in program history with its first ever appearance appearance in the 2014 Women’s National Invitation Tournament. The Thunderbirds play at Colorado State this Thursday with the game time still pending.

SUU was selected to the field of 64 after earning a share of the Big Sky regular season title with a team that has already set a new school record with 22 victories. The T-Birds took an 86-78 win over Sacramento State at the conference tournament before being eliminated by Montana in the semi-finals.

The Rams captured the regular season title in the Mountain West Conference, but fell to Fresno State in the tournament championship game. CSU returns to the WNIT for the first time since 2004 and holds an overall record of 6-3 in three appearances at the event.

The Thunderbirds took their first and only win against Colorado State in the two teams’ last meeting back in 1994. The Rams claimed the previous three.

The first three rounds of the Women’s NIT are hosted at the campus site of one of the participating teams. For each game, the higher-seeded team will have the first option to host unless logistical circumstances preclude such an opportunity. The opening set of games will be played March 19-21, followed by subsequent rounds leading up to the championship on April 5.

Coverage of the tournament and Southern Utah basketball is available online at www.suutbirds.com.